Passage Of PIGB Will Help End Fuel Scarcity – Saraki

Nigeria's Senate President , Dr Bukola Saraki, says the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, following the Senate’s passage of the Bill last May, represents a historic milestone in Nigeria.

In a video address posted on his Facebook page, Saraki explained that the PIGB will help to address the perennial scarcity of fuel in the country, once it becomes law.

“Yesterday, after nearly two decades of back-and-forth, near-misses and “near-passages,” the Eight National Assembly finally reached a milestone with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill — otherwise known as PIGB. This is historic,” a statement from his Media Office on Thursday.

He added, “Many of you will recall that in May 2017, the Senate took the first step in this direction, and yesterday, the House of Representatives did the same by passing this Bill that is aimed at modernizing the Petroleum Industry and overhauling the entire system – to create a conducive business environment for petroleum industry operations.

“The PIGB will also promote openness and transparency in the industry — by clarifying the rules, processes, and procedures that govern the oil and gas sector. This should eliminate, or at worse, reduce corruption significantly and make the sector more efficient and more productive.

“Most important, with the ongoing fuel scarcity in many parts of the country, Nigerians should know that the PIGB, once it becomes law, will help alleviate those issues that lead to scarcity, such as the limited supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); the poor import planning schedule that leads to fuel importation constraints; the corruption, diversion and smuggling — that leads to artificial scarcity; and the absence of deregulation in the sector.”

Beyond praising the passage of the PIGB, the Senate is committed and determined to meet the expectations of Nigerians, according to Dr Saraki.

He believes the Senate has demonstrated the will and capacity to deliver on their key promises aimed at rebuilding the national economy and improving the standard of living of the people through its activities.